Shooting in a Hurricane

[dave lackey]

IMO, shooting in a hurricane is a wonderful idea.

On vacation. A long ways from the hurricane where life is fun on the beach while watching news reports about the misery and lack of power, etc. for up to a week.😛 Consider this a great opportunity to get away and not come back until the cleanup is done and power is restored.

 

[zauhar]

I try to maintain a fantasy of invincibility. That way, I am sure to never end up stuck in a nursing home.

Speaking seriously, I would really prefer not to encounter flying tin sheet - what if my head only comes partly off, and I still end up in a nursing home?

Speaking even more seriously, I will make a serious effort to stay out of harm's way this weekend. I have a large stock of alcohol in the basement if I get stuck inside.

Randy

 

[arpinum]

Thanks for the advice Bob, but I don't live in a mandatory or voluntary evacuation zone, nor is there is a Hurricane Warning or Hurricane Watch for my area. I don't know where you got the idea there was Cat5 storm heading directly towards me.

 

[Bob Michaels]

Thanks for the advice Bob, but I don't live in a mandatory or voluntary evacuation zone, nor is there is a Hurricane Warning or Hurricane Watch for my area. I don't know where you got the idea there was Cat5 storm heading directly towards me.

It was your comment "I've spent the last hurricane windsurfing and can appreciate the force of the winds and what the dangers are." that elicited my comment.

As far as Roger, I can say that as one ages, one begins to appreciate the wisdom of others who have aged.

 

[brainwood]

I have no experience of hurricanes but I look on that as a good thing. I would take Bob Michael's advice very seriously ... These things are pretty unpredictable and potentially dangerous

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-14686497

This one looks like it could be unusually nasty and not to be messed with

 

[Beemermark]

South of Wilmington? Carolina/Kure Beach area?

Pictures were Wrightsville Beach, went over for lunch.

 

[filmfan]

Obviously go shoot it.
I would say forget the 6x7-- just shoot 35mm because you will want to get shots off quickly and not want to re-load film often in the rain (10 shots per roll for 6x7 and 36 for 35mm).
Also, in case you need to move quickly, you do not want to be weighed down by two cameras (especially a 6x7 camera).
Just go shoot with a Nikonos or Stylus Epic (they named it "Epic" for a reason).

 

[Mongo Park]

I'm with the OP. You bring to mind Robert Duval in Apocalypse Now - beach scene and surfing with incoming fire. Get some really dramatic pictures of the hurricane; flying cars, debris etc and all the posters will eat their words. Respect, man.

 

[brachal]

I have been in two hurricanes and one tornado. I didn't see anything to photograph that would justify the risk. I would not voluntarily do it again.

 

[Frank Petronio]

I regret not going to New Orleans immediately after Katrina to shoot though. Talk about a Class V photo op....

 

[oftheherd]

Obviously go shoot it.
I would say forget the 6x7-- just shoot 35mm because you will want to get shots off quickly and not want to re-load film often in the rain (10 shots per roll for 6x7 and 36 for 35mm).
Also, in case you need to move quickly, you do not want to be weighed down by two cameras (especially a 6x7 camera).
Just go shoot with a Nikonos or Stylus Epic (they named it "Epic" for a reason).

Tend to agree with forgetting the 6x7. I love 6x7, but they will be harder to protect, never mine use. If you don't have a folder, I would advise to forget it.

As to the DC area, you might try to get shots of any storm surges in the basin, as long as you ensure you are high enough to be safe. Shots of some of the landmarks with sheets of rain might work, but will probably just look like a heavy rain. Maybe with clouds and debris, but remember the warnings of debris if you aren't protected.

A photo I have always wanted to experiment with was the Korean War Memorial on the Mall (the sculpted soldiers are all wearing ponchos). Photos from inside the Lincoln or Jefferson Memorials (don't dance 😀) might be of interest. Again, ensure no surges can take you.

The main thing, whatever you do, is to stay safe. There is a fine line between bravery and stupidity sometimes. Be sure you know which side of the line you are on. You may be lucky in that the storm may not hit DC as hard as first thought.

Good luck.

 

[arpinum]

Korean War Memorial is a great idea, thanks.
The waterfront with the georgetown university spires might also work work well.

I was thinking of using the 6x7 (Mamiya 7) with a sandbagged tripod. Any reason not to try this? Gusts should only be 40 mph or so. I'd keep the camera strapped to me as well in case things go wrong.

I'm mainly wondering about rendering raid spray and fog though. Mist/ fog always seems to give me trouble.

 

[brachal]

I regret not going to New Orleans immediately after Katrina to shoot though. Talk about a Class V photo op....

I remember a lot of out-of-town photographers after the storm, rooting through people's flooded houses without their knowledge or permission, looking for shots. Some of them published very fancy photo books, but they are little better than grave robbers in my mind. Try to remember that one man's photo opportunity is another person's life in ruin.

 

[Kiyatkin]

Just go out when or where you feel it's safe and take pics. I would use a weather-sealed DSLR like D7000, but that's me. I have to work this weekend, but will take a camera to work with me to see what happens.

This was from our food run a few minutes ago (in Baltimore):

 

[Phil_F_NM]

Your gusts aren't going to be in the 40mph range, that's your sustained wind speed. As of right now the storm downgraded a bit due to coming over land and losing a lot of moisture there. As soon as it passes Cape Hatteras, it will probably regain strength as it moves up the coast. There is still a good chance for hurricane force winds to lash Washington DC so, along with the others, I'd say it's probably not the wisest move.

I grew up in the western edge of tornado alley, there the photos are beautiful. I've had some very close calls with tornadoes and that isn't fun at all. As for tropicals, they are just thousands of square miles of storm that move in slowly and are so thick that there won't be much light to work with.

I don't have as much experience with growing up with hurricanes as a few others on this forum but I've been through one Cat2, a typhoon in Guam, and a few tropical storms, so I'd say there's not much to see here, move along. Maybe taking photos of your TV (if your power and signal still work) during the storm would be the most prudent thing to do for coverage.

Good luck keeping that camera on a tripod and upright if you do venture out. Sandbag or no, there is still enough force in the atmosphere to move whatever it wants, whenever it wants.

Oh yeah, don't forget that tropical storm rain bands often spawn tornadoes and produce severe gusts of wind due to downdrafts and the large amount of water displacing the air.

It's an amazingly fascinating time but not one to mess with.

Phil Forrest
(former US Navy "weather guesser")

 

[Rob-F]

As a child growing up in Miami, FL, I saw a man trying to walk during a hurricane. He couldn't stand up in the force of the wind, which was blowing him down the street. He finally flattened himself against the street and managed to crawl some distance. How far he got, I don't know.

I remember radio towers collapsed by the wind. Drive-in theater screen towers blown away.

Don't do it. Buy a copy of the IMAX movie, "Blue Planet". It has good hurricane documentation.

 

[wgerrard]

The storms leading edges are just here in central NC. We expect rain and steady 25-30 mph winds with gusts above 40, and possible tornadoes, thru tomorrow night. We are about 200 miles west of the path.

Shooting in DC will probably be safe, if low areas prone to flash flooding are avoided. That said, the foolhardy bravado and the coarse ridicule are less than unnecessary.

 

[Chuck Albertson]

I'm with the OP. You bring to mind Robert Duval in Apocalypse Now - beach scene and surfing with incoming fire. Get some really dramatic pictures of the hurricane; flying cars, debris etc and all the posters will eat their words. Respect, man.

Charlie don't surf!

 

[randolph45]

suggestions

suggestions

First responders are suggesting if you do not evacuate to please fill out a 3x5 card with your name,ss# and next of kin to notify when they find your body.Place the card inside your left shoe for their convenience.They don't want to spend too much time trying to figure out who you were 🙂

 

[skibeerr]

First responders are suggesting if you do not evacuate to please fill out a 3x5 card with your name,ss# and next of kin to notify when they find your body.Place the card inside your left shoe for their convenience.They don't want to spend too much time trying to figure out who you were 🙂

Funny, shoes are the first thing that you lose when you are swung about.

40mph wind registers as force 9 on the beaufort scale, I suggest close up portraits with an 8x10 view camera on a wooden tripod. You might want to ad some lead beads to the dark cloth tough.

Have fun